Just like any other product, car wheels go through many steps to reach their final state. A lot of work and decision-making goes into this process that many people don’t realize. If you’ve ever been curious about the manufacturing process for custom aftermarket wheels, then this brief guide will outline it for you.
Start With a Design
Thanks to 3D software, the process of designing a set of wheels is easier than ever. Within these programs, a manufacturer can decide how the wheel will look, determine if it’ll fit certain car types, and even perform simulation tests to see how it will hold up. Even though the true test begins after the wheel is made, having an idea of how it will perform beforehand saves a lot of time and money.
Pick the Right Materials
Once the manufacturer has finalized the design, it’s time to pick the materials that will make up the wheel. Aluminum is the most popular choice, but manufacturers also use steel, carbon fiber, and other exotic alloys for their creation. Some manufacturers have even found ways to utilize plastic in their wheel designs.
The reason why aluminum is so popular, though, is due to its strength-to-weight ratio. It’s also significantly cheaper than most other metals used for wheel creation.
Choose an Assembly Process
Once the metal has been chosen, it’s time to start the assembly of the wheel. There are a few ways to form a wheel, but casting and forging are the two most popular options. Casting is much cheaper but isn’t always the strongest way to craft a wheel.
Forging creates a much stronger finished product, which is why we sell lightweight forged wheels in our online store. We want our customers to have the strongest base possible for their cars.
Paint the Finished Product
After the creation process is over, it’s time to paint the wheels. Before you start the final step of the custom aftermarket wheel manufacturing process, though, you need to submerge the wheels in a colorless chromatin tank. This will help ensure that the wheels don’t rust during general usage.
Once the protective seal has set in, it’s time to paint. Powder coating is one of the most popular methods of doing so. After applying the paint and heating it up enough to dry it, your new wheels will be ready to ship out.